Quick-action triple valve.



Patented May 22,- i900.

w. B. MANN. 'uulck ACTION TRIPLE VALVE.

(Application filed Dec, 8, 1899.) No Model.

2 Sheets-Sheet 71ZZ-me'aa es,

M gm/W,

Tu: ymmus wmns c0 PnOYO-LI7NO., WASHINGTON. n. c.

Nu. 650,0!7. Patented May 22, I900.

W. B. MAN-N.

QUICK ACTION TRIPLE VALVE.

(Application filed Dec. 8, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

% fi 1 a? Z J 3' W V\ B I a6 a/ E 3 42 j f3. 6 B B a Fzfd. A

In: norms PETERS co. PNOTO-LIYHO, msmus'rcu. nv c.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM BRAYTON MANN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

QUICK-ACTION TRIPLE i/ALVE;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 650,017, dated May 22, 1900,

Application filed December 8, 1899. Serial No. 739,685. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BRAYTON MANN,0f Baltimore, Maryland,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Quick-Action Triple Valves, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

My invention relates to triple valves for air-brakes, and more particularly to what are known as quick-action triple valves. In valves of this class as the same are in practical operation on railroads at the present time the service and emergency applications of the brakes are controlled by means of a triple-valve-operating piston havinga partial traverse of its cylinder for service applications and a full orfurther traverse of its cylinder for emergency applications, and the rapid serial venting of the train-pipe, upon which the quick serial operation of all the triple valves on a train depends, is secured through the medium of certain valves and pistons additional to the triple valve proper. Furthermore, with the valves now in practical use the process of charging the auxiliary reservoirs is very slow, and where it becomes necessary to recharge the auxiliary reservoirs while the train is on long grades resort has been had to retaining-valves to retain a predetermined pressure in the brake-cylinders, to the end that the train might not acquire too great a momentum before the auxiliary reservoirs could be charged and the brakes again applied.

One object of my present invention is to provide a quick-action triple valve controlled by a piston having a partial and full traverse for service and emergency applications, respectively, as heretofore, and in which all the results of a quick-action triple valve shall be secured through the action of the triple Valve proper without any additional valves or pistons for that purpose.

A further object is to provide a quick-action triple valve controlled by a piston having a partial and a full traverse for service and emergency applications, respectively, in which air is vented from the train-pipe to the brake -cylinder for emergency applications without the use of any piston or auxiliary valve additional to the triple valve proper.

A still further object is to provide a quickaction triple valve controlled by a piston having a partial and a full traverse for service and emergency applications, respectively, in which theauxiliary reservoir may be instantly recharged, whereby the brakes may be released, the auxiliary reservoirs recharged,

train will not get beyond control even on a steep grade, and the use of the objectionable retaining valves may be dispensed with; and, finally, the object of my invention is to simplify the construction of quick action triple valves, to the end that they maybe more cheaply manufactured and more reliable in operation.

WVith these objects in view the invention consists in a main valve which alone controls the passage of air from the brake-cylinder to the atmosphere to release the brakes and from the train-pipe to the brake-cylinder for emergency applications and a graduating-valve which alone controls the passage of air from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder for both service and'emergency applications, combined with a valve-operatin g piston which has a partial traverse for service applications of the brakes and a full or further traverse for emergency applications thereof.

Furthermore, the invention consists in a triple-valve-operatin g piston having a partial traverse for service applications and a full or further traverse for emergency applications, combined with a main valve which alone controls the passage of air from the brake-cylinder to the atmosphere for releasing the brakes and from the train-pipe to the brake-cylinder for emergency applications,and a grad uatingvalve which alone controls the passage of air from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cyl inder both for emergency and service applications, said valves being located in a valvechamber through which air is free to pass in large volume from the train-pipe to the aux iliary reservoir at all times when the trainpipe pressure equals or exceeds auxiliary-reservoir pressure; and, finally, the invention consists in certain improvements in the details of construction and operation of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention may assume various mechanand the brakes reapplied so quickly that the ical forms, one of which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings; but it is to be v I! understood that such drawings are designed merely to illustrate the inventive idea and not as defining the limits thereof.

In said drawings, Figure 1 represents a central longitudinal vertical section of my triplevalve device, the parts being in release position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in the position which they occupy when graduating. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 1 looking from the right. Fig. at is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the parts in position to hold air in the brake-cylinder, but without permitting the passage of any additional pressure from the auxiliary reservoir to the cylinder. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the parts being shown in emergency position; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the valve-seat.

' In said drawings, A is a valve-casing having therein a bushing A, within which is formed the usual valveseat A for the main slidevalveB. This valve-seat has formed therein a large port a, leading to the train-pipe, a large, port 1),, leading to the brake-cylinder, and a small port a, leading to the atmosphere. Furthermore, said valve-seat has'formed in the bottom thereof a cavity a and a duct a leading from said cavity to the end of the bushing in which the valve-seat is formed. If desired, instead of the duct a the cavity itself, when communication is had with the auxiliary reservoir, may extend to the end of the valve-seat. A is a block of metal firmly seated within that end of the casing A adj oining the auxiliary reservoir and has formed therein suitable openings a (see Fig. 3,) leading from the auxiliary reservoir into the valvechamber. Formed within the body of the block A and preferably in the center thereof, is a duct or, leading from the valve-chamber some distance into'the block A and com municating with a second duct a, likewise formed in said block and leading to a port a formed in thevalve-casing A and comm unicating with the brake-cylinder.

O is the valve-operating piston of usual construction, whose valve stem Q extends through the main-valve chamber and has formed on its extreme end the spider 0 between which and shoulder 0 on said pistonstem is located the main valve 13, the distance tr e he sp de Q and, h hou er 0 being slightly greater than the length of the slidejvalve B, so that there is a small'amount of lostmotion'between the slide-valve and the piston-rod. This slide-valve B has formed th'ereinalarge duct or cavity B, which in -releasejposition connects the brake-cylinder and atmosphere ports and in emergency position connects the train-pipe and brake-cylinder ports, as will be hereinafter described. Operatively connected to thepistonrod, but independent of the slide-valve, is a graduating-valve, ,here shown as a stem-valve D, playin g inthe bore Df, centrally formed in the piston=ro.d, the valve Dhaving on its inner end a slot d, through which extends'apin 0, con:

i t fl Pi tQn-J'Q A sp ing D? isle.-

cated in the bore D to the rear of the graduating-valve D and has a tendency to force the graduating-valve out of the bore D. This graduating-valve, as shown, is in alinement withthe valve-seat d, formed in the duct a and when the parts are in release position said graduating-valve is held by the spring D upon said valve-seat, so as to prevent the passage of air from the valve-chamber into the duct a E is a yielding abutment, here shown as a spring-pressed button normally projecting into the cylinder of the piston O, the pin 6 determining the amount of such projection.

V T is the point of connection with the trainpipe, from which point air flows unobstructedly through the passage T to the rear of the piston O. I p V T is a second passage connecting the trainpipe T with the large port a in the valveehamber, and S is a check-valve arranged in said passage T and opening under influence of pressure in the train-pipe toward the auxiliary reservoir and against the tension of its spring S. The. tension of the spring S can be adjusted by means of the screw-cap S in a way which will be clearly understood.

ofthepartial traverse being determined by the contact of the piston with the yielding abutment or spring-button E, as is shown in Fig. 2.

For the purpose of reducing the friction be- 7 advantageof this arrangement lies in, the fact that the pressure in the valve-chamber above the valve and which tends to hold it firmly to its seat is to a certain extent counteracted by. the pressure in the cavity. a so that the friction of the valve upon its seat is greatly I reduced, thereby rendering it m uch more sensitive' in its movements.

As thus far described it will be observed that the passage of airfrom the train-pipe to the auxiliary reservoir may be through the large passage T port a, main-valve chamber, and openings a, as well as by way of the piston-cylinder. and the usual feed-Vin duct 0, so that the auxiliary. reservoir may be quickly charged from the train-pipe. In case, however, it is desired to have the auxiliary reservoir charged more slowly, as is now donewith the standard Westinghouse valve, I may employ the construction shown in dotted'lines atthe right-hand side 'of Fig. 1 wherein F represents a cap screwed or otherwise secured upon the end of the block A projecting into the auxiliary reservoir and having an opening F therethrough. F is a valve seated on a valve-seat in said opening F and opening toward the main-valve chamber against the tension of the springf, while f is a small feed-in duct through said valve.

The operation of myimproved triple-valve mechanism is as follows:

Charging 0r releaseposz'tion.-When air is admitted to the train-pipe from the main reservoir, it enters the passage T and the cylinder of the piston C and throws the piston to the position shown in Fig. 1 in advance of air which enters the valve'chamber through the passage T because the movement of the air through said passage is delayed by the check-valve S. The pressure however, in the train-pipe raises the valve S against the tension of its spring S and the air passes through the passage T port a, the main-valve chamber,and passagea in large volume to the auxiliary reservoir, thereby quickly charging the same. The movement of the piston to the position shown in Fig. l carries with it the slidevalve B,so that the large cavity B therein connects the brake-cylinder port I) and the port a whereby the brake-cylinder is vented to the atmosphere and likewise seats the graduatingvalve D upon the seat 01, where it is firmly held by the action of the spring D It is to be observed that this action of the graduating-valve takes place without any injurious jar or strain upon the parts by reason of the yielding tension of the spring D notwithstanding which the graduating-valve is accurately seated and firmly held in place.

Graduating p0siti0n.-When it is desired to admit a limited amount of air from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake cylinder for graduating purposes, the engineer slightly lowers the pressure in the train-pipe, thereby causing the piston O to make a partial traverse of its cylinder until the valve B closes the atmosphere-port a and said piston comes in contact with the yielding abutment E. It will be understood that since the pressure in the train-pipe is less than that in the valve-chamber such excess of pressure in the chamber, together with the spring S, holds the check-valve S firmly seated. The movement of the piston from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 causes the pin 0 on the piston-stem to travel in the slot at on the graduating-valve until it contacts with the rear end of said slot, which occurs just before the piston comes in contact with the yielding abutment E, after which the piston-stem and the graduating- Va-lve D move together until the piston is brought to rest by contact with the abutment E, thereby withdrawing valve D from its seat 61' and permitting air to pass from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder via openings a the slide-valve chamber, ducts a a, and port a which air thus escaping from the auxiliary reservoir to the brakecylinder lowers the pressure in the valvechamber slightly below that inthe train-pipe, whereupon the piston 0 moves from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4-7). 6., until the graduating-valve D is again seated on the seat d'--but without any movement being imparted to the slide-valve B, which valve remains in position to disconnect the brake-cylinder from the atmosphereport without obstructing the free passage of air through the port a. This graduating action may be repeated as often as found desirable in the manner well understood in the operation of triple valves of this class.

Emergency operation-If it be found desirable to produce an emergency operation of the brakes at any time, the valve may be shifted from any one of the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2, or 4 to such emergency position shown in Fig. 5 by a large and sudden reduction of train-pipe pressure, when the valve-actuating piston C will make the full traverse of its cyliudeigforcin g back the abut: ment E against the tension of its spring and moving the slide-valve B to the position where the enlarged opening or cavity B therein will connect the large ports a b, whereupon trainpipe pressure will raise the check-valve S and rush in large volume through the passag'e'T port a, duct 13, and port I) to the brake-cylinder, thereby securing the reduction in trainpipe pressure upon which quick serial action depends. Should it be found desirable to recharge the auxiliary reservoir during a service application of the brakes, this may be almost instantaneously accomplished by the engineer throwing his engineers valve to release position, whereupon the air will pass in large quantities through the passage T and the valve-chamber to the auxiliary reservoir, immediately after which the parts may again be thrown to graduating position, the whole operation being accomplished so quickly that even on heavy grades a train would not acquire such momentum as to get beyond the control of the brakes. By this means I am enabled to dispense with the use of retaining-valves and the delay incident to charging up all of the auxiliary reservoirs on a long train. Furthermore, should there be any slight leak in the brake-cylinder air may be slowly passed, by way of the passage '1 and the port a, to the auxiliary reservoir even when the parts are in graduating position.

What I claim is- 1. In a quick-action triple valve, the combination of a main valve through which air passes from the train-pipe to the brake-cylinder for emergency applications and from the brake-cylinder to the atmosphere to release the brake and a graduating-valve which controls the passage of air from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder independently of the main valve, with a triple-valveoperating piston having apartial traverse for service applications and a full or further traverse for emergency applications.

4; same-- 2. In a quick-action triple valve, the com bination of a main valve which alone controls the venting of the train-pipe for emergency application's'ofthe brakes and the release of bination of a inain valve which alone controls the venting of the train-pipe for emergencyapplications of the brakes and a graduating. valve controlling the passage of air from the dependent of the main valve with a triplea full or further traverse for emergency applications.

it. A quick-action triple valve composed of' a valve-chamber, a main slide-valve therein having a single duct which connects the train- 1 pipe with. the brake-cylinder when the parts are in emergency position and the brake-cyl-. inder and atmosphere when the parts arein release position, avalve-operating piston in operative relation with said slide-valve, a graduating-valve operated by said piston and at all times controlling the passage ofair from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder independently of the mainslide-valve, and a check-valve between the brake-cylinder and train-pipe and closing toward the latter.

5'. In a quick-action triple valve, the combination of a valve-chamber, having large ports opening to the auxiliary reservoir, the train-pipe and the brake-cylinder, and re strictedports opening to the brake-cylinder and the atmosphere, with a main slide-valve having a single duet therein which connects the train-pipe and large brake-cylinder ports when the parts are in emergency position and the large 'brake cylinder andatmosphere ports when'the parts are in release position,

a graduating valve controllingthe restricted brake cylinder port independently of the main slide-valve, and an operating-piston for said, main and graduating valves. I

6. Ina quick-action triple valve the com bination of a valve-chamber having large ports opening to the'aux'iliary reservoir and brake-cylinder and a small port opening to exhaust, a main slide-valve having aduct connecting said brake-cylinder and exhaust ports when the parts are in release position,

a restricted port opening from the auxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder, a graduatingauxiliary reservoir to the brake-cylinder. in-

: pendently of the main valve, a'triple-valvevalve-operating piston having a partial trave erse for service applications of the brakes and valve controlling saidrestricted port indeoperating piston operativel y connected to said main and graduating valves, a passage leading from the train-pipe and'entering the valve-chamber through a large port in front I of said piston and a check-valve'in said pas sage.

7. In a triple valve structure the combination of a valve-chamber having ports leading j to the atmosphere and to the brake-cylinder, 1 a main valve having a duct therein connect ing the said ports when the valve is in release position, an extended imperforate portion of I said valve closing the atmosphere-port in all 1 positions except release, and an extended jeavity in the valve-seat located under said extended portion of the main valve except i when the latter is in emergency position, said f cavity being in free communication with the auxiliary-reservoir pressure.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

WILLIAM BRAYTON MANN. Witnesses:

LEVEN' J GWINN,

JOHN J. MOORE. 

